GI & Endoscopy

Lumenis has launched two new laser products for gastroenterology, the SlimLine SIS GI fiber and the VersaPulse P20 Holmium Laser, according to a release from the company.

New research supports the theory that folic acid supplements given during pregnancy and lactation can decrease the rate of colon cancer in offspring when they reach adulthood, according to a study in Gut.

Daily use of a variety of lactic acid bacteria helps prevent obesity and reduce the body's low-level inflammation, according to a release by Lund University in Sweden.

The tumor suppressor p53 and p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis independently regulate intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis in colitis, according to a study in Gastroenterology.

Transarterial embolization is a safe procedure when endoscopy fails to control peptic ulcer bleeding, according to a study in GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

An improved method for performing upper endoscopy examination for patients with heartburn increases detection of pre-cancerous cells in the esophagus by more than 40 percent, according to a study in Digestive Diseases and Sciences.

Lap-Band weight-loss device manufacturer Allergan has asked the FDA to approve Lap-Band surgeries for adolescents as young as 14, according to an LA Times report.

Researchers at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center have identified a new soluble protein derived from probiotic bacteria that can protect intestinal cells from inflammation and injury, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Mayo Clinic has developed a screening procedure that could boost testing for Lynch syndrome, a genetic disorder linked to some types of colorectal cancer, according to a report from EndoNurse.

Tamir Ben-Menachem, MD, an interventional gastroenterologist, has recently joined Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, N.J., according to a medical group news release.